Susipažinkite su neįtikėtina simbioze – katalikiškojo religingumo, muzikos ir mokslo

In the article there is presented the author’s review of the newly published monograph of the ass. prof. dr. Saulius Stumbra “The practice of Catholic religiosity and popular devotion. Educational aspects”. According to the author of this article, this monograph has raised up and has scientifically based the power of interdisciplinary educational interaction in the development of a young personality. But the most significant is that the priest-scientist perceives and proves that “it is important to ensure that the society of globalization today does not lose the elements of nationaltraditional culture, so that religion will continue to be significant, especially in the lives of young people, and so that it would be effective in the social, political and cultural spheres of a traditional and modern society”. S. Stumbra, the first in Lithuania, based on his research and that of other authors, argues that between the goals of religiousness and the virtuously achieving quality of life there is a positive strong direct connection. The author also presents evaluations of other monograph reviewers. According to Apostolic Nuncio Pedro Lopez Quintana, the work gets special value and meaning, because its purpose is “to examine Catholic religiosity in early youth and to demonstrate how practices of popular devotion can be applied in education and teaching of the catechism in early youth. The popular piety helps a simple person to find answers to the greatest existential questions relating to life, death, love, suffering and joy”. Prelate Prof. Habil. Dr. Vytautas Steponas Vaičiūnas, analyzing the Fr. dr. Stumbra’s monograph emphasizes that presented “global (religious, philosophical, social, educational, psychological) approach to the influence of popular devotional practices on a child’s aging has gotten not by general, superficial phrases but by using competent literature, consistent scientific empirical research, personal life experience, appropriately chosen scientific methodology, which shows the author’s thoroughness, scientific knowledge; therefore, the monograph has been prepared as a serious scientific theoretical practical work”. According to the Bishop of Telšiai Kęstutis Kėvalas, the popular piety is one of the ways to incarnate the Christian message. Fr. dr. Saulius found a niche where the Christian faith can be nurtured by the popular devotion. This is a really unexpected discovery. Our uniqueness as a nation, as our national heritage is definitely entering a world-class registration which can become the UNESCO heritage. Thus, we have a wonderful symbiosis between science and tradition, education and uniqueness”. Summarizing all this, the following conclusion is drawn: the monograph of the priest-scientist Saulius Stumbra is an original, innovative work, enriching the theory and practice of Lithuanian social science on issues of education, opening up wide opportunities for people who care for the education of young people (and not only), the preservation of the national identity, raising up and strengthening the Catholic religiosity through the practice of the popular devotion. This work is an unbelievable symbiosis of the Catholic religiosity, music and science